Napoli moves 3 points clear atop Serie A after win at Fiorentina

FLORENCE, Italy (AP) — Napoli moved three points clear atop Serie A after winning at Fiorentina 3-0 on Saturday.

David Neres, Romelu Lukaku and Scott McTominay scored for Antonio Conte’s side, which won its fourth straight following consecutive losses to Lazio a month ago in the Italian Cup and Serie A.

Atalanta, which ended 2024 in first place level on points with Napoli, isn’t playing in Serie A this weekend since it was in Saudi Arabia for the Italian Super Cup.

Defending champion Inter Milan, which was four points back, faces city rival AC Milan in the Super Cup final on Monday, and also won’t play in the league until next weekend.

Fiorentina, which has lost three of its last four in the league, remained fifth.

Neres put Napoli ahead near the half-hour mark by dribbling between three defenders before unleashing an angled shot with his weaker right foot.

Fiorentina striker Moise Kean then had a potential goal denied for a hand ball. There was a lenghthy VAR review which proved inconclusive, meaning the call on the field stood.

After the break, Lukaku converted a penalty and McTominay drilled in a shot following a defensive error.

Earlier, mid-table Empoli and relegation-threatened Venezia drew 1-1 with Joel Pohjanpalo and Sebastiano Esposito trading first-half goals.

Later, Udinese was visiting Hellas Verona.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Napoli's Amir Rrahmani, top, heads the ball over Fiorentina's Luca Ranieri during a Serie A soccer match between Fiorentina and Napoli, Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025, in Florence, Italy. (Fabrizio Corradetti/LaPresse)/LaPresse via AP)

Napoli's David Neres celebrates after scoring their side's first goal of the game during the Serie A soccer match between Fiorentina and Napoli at the Artemio Franchi Stadium in Florence, Italy, Saturday Jan. 4, 2025 (Fabrizio Corradetti/LaPresse via AP)

Napoli's Romelu Lukaku celebrates after scoring during the Serie A soccer match between Fiorentina and Napoli at the Artemio Franchi Stadium in Florence, Italy, Saturday Jan. 4, 2025 (Fabrizio Corradetti/LaPresse via AP)

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump’s motorcade took a different route than usual to the airport as he was departing Florida on Sunday due to a “suspicious object,” according to the White House.

The object, which the White House did not describe, was discovered during security sweeps in advance of Trump’s arrival at Palm Beach International Airport.

“A further investigation was warranted and the presidential motorcade route was adjusted accordingly,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement Sunday.

The president, when asked about the package by reporters, said, “I know nothing about it.”

Trump left his Palm Beach, Florida, club, Mar-a-Lago, around 6:20 p.m. for the roughly 10-minute drive to the airport, but took a circular route around the city to get there.

During the drive, police officers on motorcycles created a moving blockade for the motorcade, at one point almost colliding with the vans that accompanied Trump.

Air Force One was parked on the opposite side of the airport from where it is usually located and the lights outside the plane were turned off.

Anthony Guglielmi, the spokesman for U.S. Secret Service, said the secondary route was taken just as a precaution and that “that is standard protocol.”

President Donald Trump departs Trump International Golf Club in the presidential limousine, known as The Beast, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)